Fixture chaos for Rangers now lies in the lap of the Gods
The SPFL have gambled on beating Storm Dennis to avoid a fixture pile-up involving Rangers.
An attempt to play yesterday’s postponed match against Livingston will be made this afternoon.
It’s highly unusual for a game to take place just 24 hours after failing a pitch inspection.
The dramatic decision was made just an hour after referee Euan Anderson had declared the Ibrox pitch unplayable after a 12.30pm inspection.
Rearranging the fixture for this afternoon at 3pm has not pleased Livingston.
The West Lothian club asked for a Monday night kick-off, but were overruled by the SPFL.
Rangers have assured the football authorities that everything possible will be done to ensure the game can go ahead today.
The Ibrox surface, as previously highlighted by manager Steven Gerrard, is not currently in the best condition.
A Met Office forecast shows that rain is likely to start falling just an hour before the scheduled kick-off.
Livingston issued a statement saying : “As a club, we tried to rearrange for Monday night to allow the weather to pass and for fans to make alternative arrangements.
“But, ultimately, the decision was made by the SPFL.
“Anyone who can no longer make the rearranged game, and has purchased a ticket, can claim a refund from LFC reception.”
If the match takes place, it will ease slightly the fixture scheduling headache surrounding Rangers.
They are already trying to find a date for an outstanding game against St Johnstone.
There will be no available midweek dates before the Premiership split on April 4 if Rangers make it through the next two rounds of the Europa League.
They are scheduled to face Braga at home on Thursday night in the first leg of their last 32 tie.
That game could also be in doubt because heavy rain is forecast to return to Glasgow on Wednesday evening, and the knock-on effect off a postponement could be chaotic.
Fitting in one extra league game is proving problematic. A second would be hugely challenging.
To complicate matters, Rangers also face Hearts at Tynecastle in the Scottish Cup quarter-final in a fortnight, and a replay would take precedence over league matches.
This congestion again calls into question the wisdom of Scottish football taking a winter break. The shutdown between 30
December until 17 January was designed to give players a rest, but it makes things more difficult for fixture schedulers when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Motherwell’s home Premiership clash St Mirren was also postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. They have not yet decided on new date because the clubs are already scheduled to meet again at Fir Park on Tuesday night in a Scottish Cup Fifth Round replay.
Motherwell chief executive, Alan
Burrows, said: “Sadly, it has beaten us.
“The pitch was still in a playable spot at the inspection, but the clubs, the official and the SPFL collectively looked at the forecasts, taking everything into account, and decided to postpone. We’ll get a rearranged date booked in soon.”
Ayr United against Morton in the Championship and Brechin City’s hosting of Annan Athletic in League Two were also unable to go ahead because of the bad weather.